Today everybody living in the Thames Valley Police area has the right to vote for a Police and Crime Commissioner. The Commissioner will lead the fight against crime in their communities and will have significant powers being responsible for setting police budgets and deciding how much the public pays for policing through council tax, able to hire - and, if necessary, fire - chief constables, setting the policing plan for the Thames Valley force area and holding the chief constable to account for delivering that plan and cutting crime.
The Commissioner will be important not just because of these formal powers, but because the mandate from the public will allow them to get things done and give the public a real voice. If the police and the local council aren't working together to deal with problems like noisy neighbours, the Commissioner will be able to bring them together. If the police need more support from local health services to deal with offending by drug addicts, the Commissioner will be able to make sure they get it and they will make sure that victims have a greater say in the punishment of people responsible for anti-social behaviour. When a criminal receives an out-of-court community punishment, the victim will be given the power to choose the form it takes. They'll be given a list of options. They might want something restorative or punitive. They might want it to be carried out nearby or as far away as possible. But what matters is that the punishment will be chosen by the victim. For too long, victims of crime have had no voice - but this Government is giving victims back their voice.
The most important thing about Police and Crime Commissioners is that they will need to stand up for the public and cut crime. If they don't, they'll be voted out of their job. When you're telling people to decide who to vote for on 15 November, tell them to ask this: which candidate has the best plan to cut crime in their community? What sets the Conservative candidate Anthony Stansfeld apart in this election is his laser-like focus on cutting crime. While Labour candidates use these elections to play politics, our candidate is talking about how to help the community by getting tough on crime.
Police reform is working, and the Police and Crime Commissioner elections are the next step towards our Conservative vision of police forces that are single-minded about fighting crime and which answer to the communities they serve.
Please tell your friends, colleagues, family and neighbours to vote for Anthony Stansfeld today. Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm. Postal votes not yet returned can be handed in at any polling station on Election Day, The Conservative Party will take the fight to the criminals. We are the party of law and order. We are the party that will win the next general election.